A Best Friend is Forever
by jadesshadow
Summary: It is Fred and George's Second Year at Hogwarts and on the Hogwarts Express they find someone who is a lot like them, a trouble maker, only this person is not what they expect. UPDATED. Warning: Contains spoilers from last book. Read at your own risk!
1. A First Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  
  
Chapter One  
  
A First Meeting  
  
Jade sat alone in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, it was her first year and she had not made any friends yet. She sat there quietly brushing her long blue-black hair. Jade was rather tall for her age, but not very, and she was slender too. Jade had received her name from her eyes for they were a bright beautiful jade-green.  
  
Suddenly a boy with flaming red hair came running into the compartment, he shut the door behind him, and then crouched down so that he was hidden beneath the compartment door window. Another young boy with flaming red hair was being led down the hall by a tallboy wearing a Prefect's Badge.  
  
"Um, who are you?" Jade asked just as the boy let out a sigh of relief, before jumping at the sound of Jade's voice.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't see you." The boy said standing up and turning towards Jade, "But, uh, would it be alright if I stayed in here with you for a while?"  
  
Jade nodded, "I didn't catch your name." Jade said as the boy sat down.  
  
"Oh, my name is Fred Weasley." The boy said looking at Jade. "And your name is?"  
  
"My name is Jade Williams." Jade smiled at Fred. "Who was that boy that the Prefect was escorting?"  
  
"That would be my twin brother George. We kinda played a mean trick on the Slytherins in a compartment near the back of the train." Fred said with an evil grin.  
  
"I take it that means you are in Griffindor." Jade said  
  
"Yes my brother and I are starting our second year at Hogwarts." Fred said, "How about you?"  
  
"I am just starting my first year this year, so I am not in a house yet, but I want to be in Griffindor." Jade replied looking in up and catching Fred's eyes.  
  
As Fred suddenly lost himself in Jade's eyes, he wished with all of his might that she would be in Griffindor and yet he did not know why he felt this way.  
  
The compartment door slid open and Jade and Fred immediately altered their gaze and looked at the compartment door. Fred's twin brother George stepped inside. He sat down next to Fred and said,  
  
"Glad I found you, I have been looking all over for you." George noticed Jade sitting in the corner, "And your name is?"  
  
"Jade. It is nice to meet you too." Jade replied sarcastically turning to look out the window. Fred had been so nice and yet his twin treated her as if she was a thing that had no feelings.  
  
George had apparently noticed that he had upset Jade because he changed his tone entirely and said,  
  
"I'm sorry I am just in a bad mood. The Prefect just gave us a week's worth of detentions. I had to get caught by the Slytherin Prefect."  
  
"What do you mean by us?" Fred asked narrowing his eyes.  
  
"The Prefect knew that we were related and that if I had something to do with the trick that you must have had something to do with it too." George said his face now splitting into an evil grin.  
  
"Typical." Fred said.  
  
There was a meow. Fred and George whipped around in surprise only to see Jade bending over to pick up a gray tabby cat with white paws.  
  
"Hello there Austin! How are you?" Jade cooed nuzzling the cat. Fred and George looked at her. "What am I not allowed to love my pets?"  
  
All three of them laughed when the compartment door slid open yet again. This time however there was three Slytherins blocking the doorway. They began threatening Fed and George.  
  
"Oh, please we are not afraid of you." Fred said standing up, George did the same both had the wands at the ready.  
  
"Weasley can't you count, there are three of us and two of you." One of the boys said.  
  
"Actually you are the one that can't count." Jade had stood up her unusually long wand in her hand.  
  
"Hey look it is a little soon to be first year." The boy said "I am so scared she might send sparks at me that will burn..."  
  
There was a bang. The boy who had been speaking flew backwards into a wall and he crumpled on the floor. The other two boys had picked him up and then they ran off towards the back of the train. Jade was standing behind Fred and George her wand raised, she was the one who had muttered the spell,  
  
Fred and George looked at each other then at Jade, their faces split yet again into identical evil grins and George said,  
  
"I think we have just made a new best friend." 


	2. The Sorting and Family

Disclaimer: I do now own Harry Potter. Jade however is MINE!  
  
Chapter Two  
  
The Sorting and Family  
  
Finally after what seemed like forever the Hogwarts Express was at Hogwarts, Jade stepped off the train with her cat, Austin, clamped in her arms and her eagle, Justin, perched on her shoulder. She was wearing her Hogwarts robes already and she began looked around taking in the new sites. Then she heard a voice behind her,  
  
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Jade turned around and she caught her first glimpse of Hagrid, she gasped.  
  
"Oh that's just Hagrid the gamekeeper. You had better get going or he will leave you behind." Fred said giving Jade a little push, "Don't worry he doesn't bite."  
  
Jade smiled and then waved to Fred and George as she was caught in a wave of new first years that were going towards Hagrid. As soon as they were there Hagrid issued them into the boats so that they could begin their ride across the lake and towards Hogwarts. Jade's boat had three girls in it including her self. The other two girls were friends, Jade could not see the girl in front but the girl in front of her had long black hair, and Jade heard the girl in front call her "Cho."  
  
Before Jade knew it she was standing in line behind Cho waiting for her name to be called. Standing in front of all the other students in the hall she quickly caught sight of Fred and George. Then again it wasn't too hard, their bright red hair stood out amongst the other students easily. Jade couldn't help but smile. Then she heard Professor McGonagall call,  
  
"Chang, Cho!" The sorting hat was on her head for about a minute when it shouted,  
  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
  
Cho stood up, took off the hat and then she walked over to the table second from the left where the Ravenclaws stood cheering, some of the color was now returning to her face. Jade sighed still a long way to go until it was her turn.  
  
Slowly the line got shorter until, finally Jade was the last one left. Professor McGonagall finally called,  
  
"Williams, Jade!"  
  
Jade walked up to the stool and she put the Sorting Hat on her head. She suddenly head it whisper in her ear,  
  
"Well this is very interesting, interesting indeed. I had one other like you and he did very well in Slytherin as you would to and yet it seems you would also do well in Griffindor. Now which to put you."  
  
Jade thought quickly, 'I don't want to be in Slytherin, anything but Slytherin.'  
  
"Well if you don't want to be in Slytherin then you are better of in – GRIFFINDOR!"  
  
There was a bunch of cheers as Jade stood up and walked over to the Griffindor Table. She took a seat next to Fred (George was on Fred's other side) and across from Percy. Dubmledore stood up and announced the beginning of the feast. Jade helped herself to some of the food that had just appeared while listening to Fred and George plot something else against the Slytherins. Soon after the talk turned to their families all of the older students were asking the first years what kind of families they were from and Jade was no exception,  
  
"What's your family like?" Percy asked.  
  
"Oh um..." Jade suddenly fell silent.  
  
"Go ahead, we don't care if you are Muggle-born or not." Fred said urging Jade to tell more about her family.  
  
"Ok, well my father is dead, he was killed by You-Know-Who, when I was just two years old." Jade began. "And the worse part is I saw You-Know- Who kill him, but still that was a long time ago."  
  
"Oh I am so sorry." George said.  
  
"How's your mother holding up, then?" Percy asked.  
  
"She died two months before I got my Hogwarts letter." Jade finished.  
  
"Have you grown up in a Muggle Orphanage then?" Lee Jordan asked, he had a surprised look on his face. He couldn't see what it would be like to live in a place with not magic.  
  
"Oh, no I have been living with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin all of whom are witches and wizards." Jade smiled at the thought of the people she was staying with. "They are all very nice and my cousin and I are best friends."  
  
"Is your cousin still in school?" Fred asked.  
  
"Actually she attends Hogwarts as well, she is in the second year." Jade said looking around for her cousin.  
  
"What, house is she in and what is her name?" George asked.  
  
"Her name is Rachel (pronounced Rashell) and she is in Slytherin." Jade promptly announced.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" Jade jumped when everyone, just about shouted this, then she looked around at everyone's shocked face and she began to explain,  
  
"Rachel is nothing like most other Slytherins. Actually she is a lot like Fred and George, a huge troublemaker, she can be really mean sometimes, which is why she is in Slytherin. However she does like to torture them when she gets the chance." Jade's face now split into and evil grin much like Fred and George's. "Just like I intend to."  
  
"I knew we would be good friends with you for a reason." Fred said.  
  
"And that is because she is a troublemaker like us." George finished.  
  
Jade smiled, she was glad to have such good friends already and on her first day at Hogwarts as well. Who knew what tomorrow would bring. 


	3. Jade's Cousin

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and just be thankful that I don't because who knows what might happen.

Chapter Three

Jade's Cousin

The next morning when Jade woke up she did not open her eyes, instead she just stayed where she was and she thought for a few minutes. Jade opened her eyes and then let out a small gasp. She had forgotten that she was now at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it felt so much at home here that she had just forgotten where she was entirely. She smiled to herself as she remembered her new friends as well. Fred and George were the best and she was happy that she met them on the Hogwarts Express. Jade stretched and she changed into her Hogwarts robes. Then she began heading down to the Great Hall for some breakfast.

On her way down to the Great Hall, however, Jade became lost. She was in a corridor and looking around in puzzlement when out of nowhere came Fred and George. When they laid eyes on her they grinned and Fred said,

"You got lost, didn't you?"

"Maybe. What does it matter to you? This castle is huge, you can't blame me." Jade growled in a slightly menacing way.

"Awe, don't worry about him. Everyone gets lost on their first day." George said elbowing Fred with a grin. Jade looked at the twins with a curious stare, then she said,

"Can you two take me down to the Great Hall then?"

Fred and George nodded and then they notioned for her to follow. Jade of course did and Fred and George showed her some of the secret passeges that took her down to the Great Hall in about five minutes. Jade walked into the Great Hall with Fred and George and all three of them took seats at the Griffindor table. Jade sat on George's right side and in front of Fred. As Jade sat down she saw Fred turn to his left and speak to an older boy.

"Hey Oliver. What's up?" Oliver Wood turned around and he looked at Fred.

"Not much I am just having trouble finding a some new beaters and a new seeker." He spotted Jade, "What's your name?"

"Jade." Jade replied.

"Do you play Qudditch?" Oliver asked.

"Yes." Jade said smiling. "Why?"

"Just want to know." Oliver grinned for a second. "What posistion do you play?"

"I can play anything. I am good at all the positions." Jade said narrowing her eyes, then she smiled, she knew why Oliver kept asking her these things. "No need to ask I will try out for the position of Seeker or Beater if you want me to."

"You're good." Oliver said with a grin. "How did you know that I would ask?"

"It was kind of obvious." Jade said helping herself to piece of toast, she was starving.

Someone tapped Jade's shoulder. Jade whiped around to see who it was and she came face to face with her smiling cousin. Jade couldn't help but smile now, she even laughed.

"Rachel (remember it is pronounced Rashelle) what are you doing here?"

"Just checking up on my best friend and favorite cousin." Rachel said pulling a strand of her long blonde hair out of her face.

"Yea right and I'm your only cousin." Jade said rolling her eyes. Rachel laughed. Fred and George could not help but notice that on her robes she wore a Slytherin patch.

"You must be Rachel." George suddenly blurted out. "So I hear you are in _Slytherin_."

George said the last word in a really nasty tone and Jade turned around and she gave him a really cold peircing stare. "Watch it." she muttered out of the corner of her mouth as a warning to George.

"Look I know that you are really good friends with your cousin even though she is in Slytherin but I still don't trust her." George muttered back.

Rachel knew somehow that Jade and George were talking about her so she interupted their "conversation",

"Just because I am in Slytherin it doesn't mean I am a bad person. I just tend to cause a lot of trouble and can be really mean somtimes even to my fellow Slytherins." Rachel dropped her voice. "To tell you the truth I hate them all. I would rather be in Griffindor."

Rachel straightened up and then walked back towards the Slytherin table. George's jaw dropped. Jade let out an exasperated sigh and she went back to her breakfast. Once again however she was interruped by the arrival of the mail. Jade looked up and to her surprise Justin fluttered down and he landed right in front of her, however he did not have any mail.

"Did you forget anything?" Fred asked when he saw Justin land in front of Jade.

"Naw, Justin just came to visit me." Jade said stroking the eagle's head with her forefinger.

Justin fluttered up onto Jade's shoulder where she promptly gave him a piece of bacon. Justin gobbled up the bacon and then he rubbed his head against Jade's cheek in an affectionate sort of way before he flew off to go hunting in the forest. Jade smiled, she was really glad to be here, she had so many new friends already and this school felt so much like home she felt as if she never wanted to leave it. She took a look around at Fred and George and then she grinned, she never wanted to leave.


	4. Qudditch

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. There I said it!

Chapter 4

Quidditch

Jade woke up early the that weekend. Tryouts were today. Jade was extremely excited and she could not wait for tryouts, she knew she would make the position she was trying out for, but she just wanted to see her compettion. Jade almost jumped out of bed with excitement. She changed and then headed down to the Great Hall for a bite of breakfast before she left.

Out on the Quidditch pitch it was different, sure she was used to having things different, for at the moment she was the only First Year to have classes with the Second Years. But still she had never been on a real Qudditch pitch before. Jade was extremely smart and her knowledge of most things had earned her a place with the Second Years during her classess.

Fred and George were already here and when they saw Jade they rushed over grinning from ear to ear. Jade found herself smiling too and then she said happily,

"You made the team as Beaters. Congradulations!"

"Is it that obvious?" Fred asked laughing.

"Sure is." Jade said laughing herself.

"Jade!" Jade turned around to face Oliver Wood who was hovering right in front of the goal posts at one end of the field. "Grab a broom and join us, we want to see how you do as a Seeker."

Jade looked over to her left and she saw an old school broom on the ground waiting for her, she sighed. Jade knew the school brooms were terrible but since First Years were not allowed to have their own booms she mounted it without complaint. She kicked off and before she knew it she was in front of Oliver with a grin on her face, she loved to fly.

"Shut your eyes." Jade looked at Oliver curiously. "When your eyes are shut we will release the Snitch, then we will tell you to open your eyes and we will see how long it takes you to find it."

Jade shut her eyes and she hovered in the air waiting for Oliver to say when.

"Release the Snitch!" Oliver shouted "Fred and George let the Snitch loose and within a moment it was gone. "Jade, GO!"

Jade's eyes snapped open, she hovered still for just a second before she went into a spectacular dive, she pulled out of it just inches from the ground with the Snitch clamped tightly in her right hand. Oliver shouted happily, he had never seen the Snitch caught so fast before. Jade landed right in front of Fred and George who happily announced that she had caught the Snitch in less that five seconds.

"I think we have a new Seeker." Oliver said landing next to Jade and patting her on the back.

About two weeks later Griffindor was sceduled to have it's first match against Hufflepuff. The day of the match was a stormy one and it was really nasty day, there was lightning and thunder all morning. Jade was sitting at the Griffindor table, she was unusually pale and she wasn't eating. Fred leaned in to her from across the table,

"Are you alright?" He asked. Jade nodded, not opening her mouth. Finally Oliver stood up and he notioned for the other members of the team to follow.

About half an hour later Jade was in her Quidditch robes and clutching an old broom lent to her from Oliver. She stepped on the pitch, by now Jade was even paler, and she looked like she was ready faint. She mounted her broom, Madam Hooch let the Snitch and the Bludgers then she blew her whistle, Jade kicked off she was in the air and she was already soaking wet.

Twenty minutes into the game Griffindor had a 30 point lead, Jade caught a glimer of gold it was about 150 feet in the air from the ground, Jade quickly aimed her broom up and she bolted toward the Snitch. Everyone stopped to watch her shoot up, she caught the Snitch at 150 feet in the air. Fred let out a whoop of triumph, when Jade slid off of her broom and she fell 150 feet and hit the ground with dull thud that echoed throughout the staidum. Everyone went silent as Fred shot towards Jade who was lying on the ground, she was not moving.


	5. The Curse

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 5

The Curse

The entire Gryffindor team was huddled around Jade's bed wondering if she was ok. Fred was on Jade's right side holding her hand and George was sitting on the other side fidgeting nervously. Twenty minutes later Madam Pomfry(sp?) came up to everyone and she said,

"I have found out what's wrong, but this is a secret that ONLY the teachers and the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team must know."

"What is it?" asked Oliver.

"I did some digging and I found out that when Jade's father was killed You-Know-Who took her and he performed a Blood Switching Curse." Everyone gasped, "He tried to replace her mother's blood with his own, but it did not entirely work."

"What do you mean?" Fred asked shakily.

"Jade does indeed have You-Know-Who's blood flowing in her veins but nothing happens unless she is doing some kind of sports. When Jade does sports her blood starts pumping faster than normal and You-Know-Who's blood acts as a poison because it isn't hers."

"How are we supposed to know when she is poisoned in a game then?" George asked, "Can she even still play Quidditch?"

"Yes she can still play Quidditch, but you might want to give her a different position on the team. If you want to know when it is time to take her out of the game just keep an eye on her, her breathing will be harder than usual as a matter of fact it will be just like she is having an asthma attack."

"Any other symptoms we sould know about?" Someone asked

"She might start coughing, she will loose her foucus and as we have already seen she will pass out." Madam Pomfry sighed, "There is no antidote for the poisoning just sit her out and let her heart calm down then she will be back to normal."

"Were am I?" said a weak voice.

Everyone jumped and they looked over at Jade, who was trying to sit up. She looked around the place for a moment then her eyes focused on the Gryffindor team who was gathered all around her. "What happened?" she asked.

"You passed out and fell off of your broom." Fred said. He looked at Madam Pomfry, she nodded, "And we have just found out that when you were little you had the Blood Switching Curse placed on you."

"I knew that. Why do you think my magic is so powerful when I perform spells?" Jade said, "I just never told anyone because I didn't want to be shunned."

"Look Jade we don't care, you are a cool kid curse or not." George said

"Just to be on the safe side I want to be a reserve player for the Gryffindor Team, if someone gets knocked out or something I will take their place no matter what position." Jade said.

"If that is what you want it shall be done." Oliver said.

"And one more thing." Oliver looked at Jade. "I don't any records of me being a Seeker for Gryffindor."

"I will talk to Professor McGonagall and see if we can destroy the records."

"Thank you Oliver." Jade said.

"No problem you just work on recovering from that fall." Everyone except Fred and George left.

"Jade?"

"Yes?"

"We just wanted to tell you that your secret is safe with us." George said.

"We will never make fun of you and we will always be there if you need anything." Fred finished with a smile that sealed the trio's friendship for life.


	6. Trouble Making

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Six

Trouble Making

Fred and George sat lazily in the armchairs by the fireside waiting for Jade to show up. Jade had snuck off somewhere and the twins had no idea where,

"Fred are you sure that you haven't seen her?" George asked. Fred shook his head and replied,

"If I had you'd know but I haven't seen her in over an hour. I bet she is in the kitchen or testing out the Marauders Map."

"But she doesn't have the map I do." George said pulling it out of his bag.

Just then the portrait hole swung open and Jade stumbled in giggling with a huge smile on her face. Fred and George walked up to her and they demanded,

"What did you do?"

Jade giggled a little harder and she said, "Well it's not really funny, but I just received about a weeks worth of detentions with Rachel. It is what we did that is so funny."

"Well what exactly did you two do?" Fred asked.

"O.K. well Rachel and I got bored so we set a plague loose in the Slytherin Common Room."

"Cool! How did you two set it loose?" George asked in between laughs.

"Rachel placed some kind of orb down in the room somewhere then she put it on a timer. It was about three minutes later when the orb opened releasing a harmless yet effective plague." Jade explained.

"And how did you get caught?" The twins asked at the same time.

"Professor Snape saw us out side of the Common Room entrance and he put two and two together." Jade said.

Fred and George snickered and Jade was giggling. The three of them stood still laughing for a little while and then they proceeded up to Fred and George's room. They were alone inside of the room where they simply hung out and plotted more tricks.

"Hey I think that you should open a joke shop." Said Jade looking at one of the twins' latest invention.

"I never thought of that." Said George

"Neither have I. Great idea Jade." Fred replied with a grin. "I knew making friends with her would pay off."

"Well if you two need any funding Rachel and I both have bottomless cauldrons." Jade looked at their confused faces and said, "Never play poker with a Gringotts Goblin if you win they give you something called a bottomless cauldron. It is a cauldron full of gold and whenever it is empty the Goblins will replace it with more gold."

Fred and George looked at each other being poor they had no idea what it was like to be ravished with such riches. Jade sighed and she continued,

"O.K. so I am rich, but I hate it! If you guys want some of the gold just ask and I will give you some. I myself only use the gold to replenish my school supplies and I use it for presents for my friends." Jade said.

Fred and George nodded their head and Jade smiled. Money wasn't going to get in the way of friendship.

"What should we call our shop?" Fred asked.

There was an hour of laughing as the three of them tried to come up with a name for the joke shop. Finally they came up with the name Weasly Wizard Wheezes.

"The three W's." Jade said with a laugh. "I like it, as a matter of fact I want to help sponsor it."

"No, Jade you don't have to…"

"It would take a lot of money…" The twins protested but Jade held up her hand for silence.

"I have a bottomless cauldron, I can sponsor ten different stores and still not go broke." She replied with confidence.

Fred and George smiled, they could not compete with that. They shook hands with Jade in a business like manner and they agreed to let Jade be one of the sponsors.

The boys started to come inside of the room and Jade stood up and she left heading towards her room and leaving the boys in peace.

Inside of her room Jade changed into her pajamas and she climbed into her bed. A moment later Austin came, jumped onto her bed and curled up right next to her. Jade smiled she had already been here for two months and so far life was going great. She hoped that she would remain friends with the twins forever and she just knew that their shop would be a real success sometime in the near future. Jade rolled over and she put her arm around Austin who purred happily and she whispered to him,

"I have never been so happy." She began to drift off, "I am so lucky…"


	7. Time Flies

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Seven

Time Flies

BUZZ! BUZZ!

The sound of Jade's alarm clock cut through her dreams faster than a sharpened steak knife. She jumped out of bed, ran over to the clock and quickly shut it off. Looking in the mirror she smiled, her mid-back, blue-black hair was a mess, she quickly snatched the brush off of her bedside table and promply bushed out the horrible mess of tangles.

It seemed like just yesterday when she had first met her best friends Fred and George. When she had first met them she was also brushing her hair. Six long years had passed and she was now in her sixth year at Hogwarts and the twins were in their seventh and final year. Jade had just twisted her hair up and held it in place with a pencil when she heard her aunt call,

"Come on down for breakfast Jade!"

Jade ran down the stairs and into the kitchen everyone was at the table except her and Rachel, she sat down just as Rachel entered the kitchen.

"Are we going to see Fred and George today?" Rachel asked stiffling a huge yawn.

"You sure are, as a matter of fact you are going to stay with them for the rest of the summer until school starts." Rachel's father said. "But first you two might want to take care of your horses and maybe take them out for one last ride."

After the two girls finished their breakfast they walked out to the stables behind their house. Jade owned a black stallion with four white socks and Rachel owned a fiesty white mare. Both of the horses had been trained so that only their owners can ride it, but they were also trained to let people come up to them so they can be fed and taken care of. They both saddled up their horses and rode off, though they were both so close they both liked to ride their horses in different areas.

Jade rode off towards the woods while Rachel headed towards the beach. Once in the woods Jade sought out her favorite spot, she jumped off of her horse and she petted him.

"Kaz, you will be good while I am away right?" She said to the stallion. The horsed neighed as if to say yes and she just stood there in the clearing petting him. Thirty minutes later she walked back into the house to pack up her stuff.

It was just after 2 o'clock when Jade was called back downstairs by her aunt and uncle. After making sure that her hair was still up she walked into the living room with her stuff and she asked,

"How long will it take us to get there?"

"Not long, if I understand correctly you and Rachel leaned how to Apparate the other day." said Mr. Radcliffe.

Jade smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. How could she have forgotten that she had been given special permission from her aunt and uncle to learn how to Apparate earlier than usal. Twenty minutes later Rachel was downstairs and they were ready to go.

Jade sat on her new bed and a huge cloud of dust came out of nowhere and filled the air. Jade coughed, she loved Sirius like a brother but how could he live in a place that was so dusty.

"We have some major dusting to do." She heard Rachel say through the thick, brown dust. Jade waved her wand and most of the dust dissapeared, at least now she could see her cousin.

There was a meow and Jade walked over to Austin's carrier and opened it. The lilac tabby took one look at the room and gave a meow of dissaproval. Jade picked him up and said,

"I'm sorry Austin but it is only until we go back to school alright." Austin purred in response and licked her nose with his sandpaper tounge. Jade kissed him back, when she had first gone to Hogwarts he was just a kitten but now he was much older but still as cute as ever.

There was a crack as the twins appeared in Jade and Rachel's room. Instantly the girls ran over to them and hugged the two boys. Fred tried to pull the pencil that was holding Jade's hair up out of her hair, but Jade knocked his hand away.

"Don't even think about it." She said looking at him sternly.

"Jade we haven't seen you with your hair down since you were in your first year." He argued back.

"You will see my hair down when I want you to see it down." Jade said. "Hey how's the joke shop going?"

"Great!" George said, "We just invented some new things this summer." He reached into his pocket and pulled out some Extendable Ears.

"Are those the Extendable Ears I heard that you guys were working on?" Rachel asked.

"Sure are." Said Fred with a grin. "Took us the better part of the summer to perfect them."

"Those will sell by the barrel in a joke shop. You could get rich just by selling those to other students alone." Jade said putting Austin down gently on the bed.

"You're not kidding." George said, "This year is going to be better than ever will all of the stuff we now have to sell."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Rachel said taking a seat on her bed and coughing as a cloud of dust came up.

"When's Harry gonna be here?" Jade asked waving her wand and making most of the dust dissapear again.

"Should be sometime soon." Said Fred. "In the meantime, Mum wants us to make this house fit enough to live in."

"And that means we have to help clean it." George finished.

"That is just what I wanted to do this summer, clean." Said Rachel sarcastically.

"Well it could be worse at least there isn't a curtain full of Doxies that we have to get rid of." Jade said.

"Yea that was terrible. I never want to clean our attic again."

"Actually there is." Fred said.

"Is what?" Jade asked.

"A curtain full of Doxies that we have to get rid of." Said George.

Jade and Rachel looked at each other in horror. This was going to be a long summer.


	8. Returning to School

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but Jade is MINE and Rachel belongs to my best friend. (It would be scary if I owned Harry Potter.)

Chapter Eight

Returning to School

Jade got off of the Hogwarts Express and the first thing that she noticed was that Hagrid wasn't there, instead she saw Professor Grubby-Plank. She wondered where he could be for a moment before a Prefect told her that she was holding up the rest of the students. Jade quickly caught up with Fred and George and got inside of a carriage that would take them to the school.

Inside the Entrance Hall there was a bunch of students all crowded around catching up with one another. Fred, George and Jade pushed their way through them and towards the Great Hall.

"You'd think that they would do all of their catching up on the train." Muttered Fred taking a seat.

Jade sat on his right side and said, "No kidding. But then you can't forget what Dumbledore said, and they are probably taking about Harry as well."

"I wish they'd just lay off, people keep looking at us funny just because we know the 'crazy' Harry Potter." Said George angrily.

"Shhh, here he comes." Jade muttered under her breath.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat not far from the troublemaking trio but the tree of them were sure to keep quiet just in case.

When Professor Umbridge interrupted Professor Dumbledore's speech not only were the teachers appalled and surprised but so was Jade. Fred noticed that when Umbridge spoke Jade's hand twitched just slightly and he could tell that Jade instantly hated the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.

By the end of Professor Umbridge's speech more than half of the students in the Great Hall had lost interest, including Fred, George and Jade. Fred was staring at Umbridge his eyes unfocused and clearly not taking in a word, George was falling asleep his head propped up on his hand, and Jade was staring at the enchanted ceiling watching the weather. Professor Umbridge finished and the trio came back to real life with some difficulty.

The next few days passed without incident unless you count Jade cursing Malfoy and receiving a detention from Professor Umbridge. Fred and George were making great progress with their Skiving Snackboxes, though they were willing to test the products on themselves Jade refused to test the candies herself.

"I fully support your joke shop, but asking me to test your Puking Pastilles is going too far." She argued one night in the common room.

"Why won't you just try it?" Asked George trying to hand her one.

"Because puking disgusts me." Jade said with an air of finality. "I will help your joke shop just not in that way." Jade reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, she handed it to the twins.

The twins looked at the slip of paper and their eyes widened. "This is for us?" Fred said in disbelief.

"Only if you two let me help you own and run the joke shop." Jade said with a smile.

The twins cracked into identical grins and said, "Deal."

"I'll see you two later," said Jade checking her watch, "I have detention with Umbridge." She left the Common Room and headed towards Umbridge's office.

A few minutes later Jade knocked on the door of Umbridge's office. After a moment she head a sickly sweet, girly voice say,

"Come in dear." Jade opened the door and saw Umbridge sitting at her desk, she motioned for Jade to sit down in a chair near her. Jade sat down and looked around.

"You will be doing lines for me." Umbridge said nodding towards a piece of parchment and an unnaturally sharp black quill. Jade picked up the quill and began looking for ink. "You will not need ink. Now please write, 'I will not curse students'. You will write until the message has _sunk in_."

Jade placed the quill tip on the parchment and wrote: _I will not curse students_. She suppressed a gasp of pain as the words were carved into the back of her right hand. The cut healed over again and she wrote the words again. During the entire detention she never faltered and she didn't make a sound until Umbridge stopped her.

The cut didn't heal over for the last few minutes of detention and when Umbridge took her hand to examine Jade's fingers twitched slightly from pain and the cut was bleeding profusely.

By the time she had reached the Common Room the blood from the cut had soaked through her handkerchief and blood was dripping from her fingers. Fred and George looked up from an order list that they were making they greeted her. Jade smiled and waved her hand then flinched at the pain hit her.

"What HAPPENED?" Fred suddenly demanded making Jade jump.

"It's nothing." Jade said quickly hiding her hand from view.

"Let me see!" Demanded Fred trying to jump for her. Jade jumped out of his reach and said loudly,

"It's nothing, don't worry about it!" Fred still wouldn't give up he tried to jump for Jade again but this time Jade pulled out her wand and yelled,

"Impedimenta!" Fred was knocked off of his feet. "Now cut it out, if you quit making a big scene I will explain it all in your dormitory." She whispered.

The twins followed Jade to their dormitory, which was still empty, she sat down of George's bed and began to explain what had happened in Umbridge's detention.

"SHE DID WHAT?" Jade jumped at the twins' reaction then looked at them they both looked furious. Jade stood up and Fred took her right hand, she looked at him, he untied the handkerchief and tied a fresh one around the wound.

Jade's slender fingers twitched again and she winced, the wound still stung. George had just stepped out of the room, he wanted to talk to Lee about the Snackboxes. Fred looked at Jade and said,

"Sorry, my hands are a little rough, it's from inventing things." Jade shook her head.

"No, it's ok, it just stings a little." She gave Fred a weak smile and then turned around and headed towards her dormitory.

Fred could feel himself flushing but he could not understand why he was so embarrassed, he laid down on his bed and stared at the top of the bed's canopy and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Illness

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Nine

Illness

The morning of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin dawned bright and cold, Jade was eating breakfast as if nothing was going on, it was almost as if she didn't know there was Quidditch match after breakfast. Fred was busy making a list of what was in the Skiving Snackboxes when he saw Umbridge approach Jade.

Jade hadn't noticed that Umbridge was anywhere near her until she could feel Umbridge breathing down her neck. Jade turned and looked at her, she wasn't doing anything wrong as a matter of fact she was just reading a book.

"What are you reading, dear?" Umbridge asked in a false girly voice.

"Just a romance novel why Professor?" Said Jade accidentally knocking her bag to the floor spilling its contents. Jade sighed and bent over to pick it up. Fred went back to finishing a list for the Snackboxes before Umbridge asked was he was doing, he never saw her pour a little vial of liquid into Jade's drink. Jade was busy picking up her stuff so she never saw Umbridge pour it into her drink either and before she could notice anything the mail arrived causing Jade to snatch up her drink.

When Jade had snatched up her drink she unwillingly stirred it, all she really intended to do was save her drink from the arrival of the owls. Noticing that she had no mail she drained the pumpkin juice and went back to her book.

During the match with Slytherin Jade just watched as Ron kept missing goal, she was also trying her hardest not to curse everyone who was singing, "Weasley is Our King". When she saw Harry and Draco go into a spectacular dive she was on her feet screaming, "Go Harry Go!"

As if in slow motion she saw the Bludger hit Harry in the back after the whistle had been blown. She had thought it was a cheap shot but she knew better than to say anything. It was only minutes later when she saw George and Harry start beating Draco to a pulp.

Ignoring the slightly dizzy feeling she had Jade ran over to try and calm Fred down so that he might not accidentally hurt one of their Chasers.

"Fred STOP!" she shouted running up to him and putting her hands on his chest to keep him from running forward. "He's not worth it ok."

"But he insulted my family." Fred muttered still fighting.

"I don't care! Fred if you don't stop right now…" Jade's words were cut short, her breathing suddenly became very shallow and her eyes slid out of focus.

Fred didn't seem to notice that anything had happened to Jade until she fell on him. Fred caught her before she hit the ground and it was then he noticed that something was terribly wrong. Jade was unconscious but instead of her breathing going back to normal like it always did her breathing was still shallow and it was getting worse. He tried waking her up but to no avail.

"Madam Hooch, help!" Fred yelled looking wildly around for the referee.

"What's all this noise about?" Fred looked up and saw Professor Snape, forgetting how much he hated Snape Fred said with slight panic in voice,

"Professor help me! Something's wrong with Jade and I can't get her to wake up." He was almost on the verge of tears by now.

Snape bent down, he only had to look at Jade once to know that Fred was right. He immediately conjured up a stretcher and ran up to the Hospital Wing beckoning for Fred to follow. Fred followed and he did not say a word all the way up to the Hospital Wing out of fear and worry.


	10. Reasons

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 10

Reasons

Fred waited outside of the Hospital Wing for twenty minutes before Professor Snape came out and told him that he would have to go to lunch on Dumbledore's orders. Fred opened his mouth to argue, but realized that it wouldn't help his friend at all, he slumped his shoulders and went down to the Great Hall. He took a seat near George, but remained silent and refusing to eat anything, the news that he had been banned from Quidditch hit him hard, but it still didn't compare to the sinking feeling he had when he though about Jade.

Looking up at the staff table, he saw that both Dumbledore and Snape's seats were empty, looking over he saw that McGonagall wasn't there either, he bit his lip. _'Something isn't right, why aren't they here?' _The doors opened and the headmaster and the two teachers entered the Great Hall, McGonagall was unusually pale and Snape's mouth was shut tight as if he was afraid to open it. Professor Dumbledore walked up to the podium and the hall fell silent.

"Students and fellow staff members, I am afraid I have some bad news. Before today's Quidditch match, someone poisoned a fellow student, that student I am afraid is none other than Gryffindor's Jade Williams." The Gryffindor students looked shocked and Fred inhaled a sharp breath. "I have spoken with her head of house and we have agreed that it is time to let the students know that Miss Williams is a victim of a Blood Switching Curse, and that her mother's blood was switched with that of Lord Voldermort's."

The hall was still as stone, then suddenly Fred and George stood up and Fred abruptly yelled across the hall, "That is Jade's deepest secret! Why did you just tell everyone what it is when she worked so hard to not let them know?"

Dumbledore looked at Fred and George, he seemed unnerved by their sudden and abrupt interruption, it was almost as if he knew that they were going to jump up. Dumbledore's eyes were soft as he looked the twins in the eyes and said,

"I have told everyone because they have a right to know. I am sorry to say that the poison is a slow acting one and that there is currently no antidote that we can give her because of the curse. I am afraid that Miss Williams is going to die." George looked as if he had been petrified when this news hit him, and Fred sunk down into his seat and put his face in his hands, both were silent. After a moment George sat down still looking shocked and Dumbledore continued,

"Now I must say this, although I have told you about the curse, no one is to mention this to Miss Williams. No one is allowed to tell her that she is dying either, I have my sources and if I find out that any of you mentioned anything to her you will be expelled." He took a deep breath and then continued, "We must all continue as if nothing is wrong, I don't want Miss Williams to be upset, so not even the teachers will say anything and we won't tell her at all. This was decided by Miss Williams' guardians, they do not want her told." The silence was spooky, no one spoke even a whisper, Dumbledore penetrated the silence after a moment, "Now I know that Miss Williams is a clever girl, she might figure it out on her own, but until then we MUST remain silent about this. We expect her to live until sometime next year, to all of her friends and family, I am deeply sorry."

Dumbledore sat down and continued his unfinished meal, the silence of the hall suddenly became the buzz of students whispers. A few students looked at the twins, but didn't say anything, George looked stunned as the news began to sink in, Fred still had his face in his hands, he wasn't crying, but he was upset. After a moment he stood up and headed out of the Great Hall, no one said anything as he left, he didn't go to the Common Room, or even to the Hospital Wing, instead he went outside. He walked along the edge of the Dark Forest and before he knew it he was in a secluded area next to the lake.

Fred sat down where he could not be seen, he stared at the lake, it was a smooth as a piece of glass, the sun was still rather high in the air, so Fred guessed it to be about three o'clock. Fred sat mostly in silence thinking of things that had happened in the past years, truth be told he and George wouldn't have been so successful if Jade hadn't been there manipulating from the background.

Flashbacks of the past few years flew in front of his eyes, he couldn't help but remember all of the great times he, George and Jade had shared, but nothing topped the time last year when they had Yule Ball. He had taken Angelina to the ball and Jade had gone with Lee, halfway through the ball he and Lee and exchanged partners. Jade and Fred were dancing so well by the end of the ball that Dumbledore approached them and said if they had a trophy for best dancing they would have received it. Two weeks later in the mail both he and Jade received a golden trophy with a dancing pair on top, it was labeled Best Dancers at the Yule Ball. The trophy was dated, had their names on it and Dumbledore and McGonagall had signed it. Fred still had the trophy, it currently sat on his bedside table in his dormitory.

By the time the Fred pulled himself out of his thoughts the sun had begun to set. Fred knew he was going to miss dinner but he didn't care, he just wanted to sit here alone, for once this was something his twin couldn't help him with. As he watched the sun sink below the horizon, the effect of Dumbledore's words fully hit him. Fred began to cry, silent, hot, salty tears rolled down his face, he pulled his legs up to his chest, crossed his arms, and buried his face in his arms. He wasn't ashamed to cry, he had a reason to cry his best friend was dying. Fred looked up at the stars his face tear streaked, the occasional tear leaking out, it suddenly became clear to him, he knew why he overreacted when Jade was hurt, he knew why he got so flushed when she was around him.

As his and Jade's friendship grew, so had their emotions, they basically grew up together, Jade was over every summer, he saw her every year and they spent as much time as they could together. As they grew so did their feelings, deep in his heart a small spark of love had sprouted when he was just thirteen, during Jade's second year at Hogwarts he had fallen in love with Jade, during all these years he had never known. This emotion had hidden itself amongst his heart, and it wasn't until he found out that he best friend was going to die that this emotion decided to show itself, once again he buried his face in his arms and he let himself cry.


	11. Reunited and Torn Apart

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 11

Reunited and Torn Apart

Fred woke up the next day feeling sick, it took him a moment to remember why, but then he remembered Jade and he knew why he was feeling so terrible. The sun hadn't risen yet, but he decided to see if Madam Pomfrey would let him in to see Jade. The trip to the Hospital Wing seemed to take longer than usual, but was made difficult because he had to dodge Peeves halfway up the stairs.

The doors to the Hospital Wing were closed, but Fred knocked on them lightly. Moments later Madam Pomfrey opened the doors, she was already dressed, but she looked slightly tired, "Yes?" she asked in an irritable voice.

"I'm sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but I was wondering if I could see Jade, er, Miss Williams." The irritable look that was on Madam Pomfrey's face suddenly disappeared and she allowed him to come in.

"Miss Williams is still asleep, so please don't wake her." She pointed out Jade's bed then went into her office. The sun was beginning to rise, the dawn light filled the Hospital Wing with a pinkish, orange glow. Fred walked slowly over to the bed that Jade occupied, she lay on her back, and her hair was down and flared out over the white pillow. A streak of sun fell on her face from the window, she seemed to almost glow with the help of the sunlight.

Jade's right hand was on top of the covers and slightly open, Fred took the seat on the right side of the bed and sat there in silence just watching her as she slept. Looking down he saw Jade's hand, reaching over he took her right hand in his right hand and held it. _'Her hands are soft.' _Fred thought to himself as he began to nod off, he put his other arm up onto Jade's bed and rested his head on it, before long he was asleep.

XXX

_Fred? Fred? Wake up Fred. _Someone was calling him and gently shaking him, he stirred slowly and opened his eyes. Jade was sitting up in the bed and smiling at him, "Good morning." She said in a sweet voice.

Fred sat up and smiled, he suddenly realized that he was still holding Jade's hand, but Jade didn't seem to care. "How long have you been here?" she asked. Looking up Fred saw that the sun was already high in the sky.

"I'd estimate a few hours." He said stifling a yawn and smiling at her, she returned the smile and flushed slightly,

"Well, I'm glad you came, it's nice to see a friendly face." She lifted her head and looked at the ceiling then said, "Madam Pomfrey told me that she is going to release me this afternoon, with a clean bill of health, not counting the curse of course."

Fred felt a pang of guilt, he wanted to tell Jade what was going to happen so badly, but he didn't want her to overreact and he didn't want to get in trouble. He thought for a moment then agreed silently with Professor Dumbledore, it was best if she didn't know. "Well, glad to hear it, we will be up to our old tricks by dinner time." He added with an evil grin.

"Where's George?" Jade asked looking around for Fred's identical twin brother.

"He wasn't awake when I left, so I just let him sleep." Fred felt another pang of guilt as he lied to Jade again, he had left because he knew his brother was still asleep, he had wanted to see her alone.

"It must be near noon now, I wonder when Madam Pomfrey will let me go." As if on cue Madam Pomfrey appeared at Jade's side. She closed the plastic curtains and pushed Fred out so that she could make one last examination. A few minutes later Jade reappeared, but this time she was wearing a black sweater, a pair of jeans and her now famous green converse.

They left together heading towards the Great Hall for some lunch, upon entering several people looked up and smiled, most were Gryffindors, but a few Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw students smiled as well. At first Fred was worried that these people might have been smiling sympathetically for Jade, but upon closer inspection he noticed that they were just friends of Jade's saying it was great to see her out of the Hospital Wing so soon.

Fred and Jade took some seats opposite of George who now had the list for the Skiving Snackboxes was checking to see if everything was in order. He looked up at them gave them a smile, and said,

"Hey Fred we just need to test the Fainting Fancies one last time, and then we have finished everything for the Skiving Snackboxes."

"That's fantastic!" Jade said ladling herself some beef stew, Fred and George both looked at her with evil grins and she quickly added, "NO! I am not going to be the one to test it, for the final time!"

"Well it was worth a try." Said Fred also ladling himself some stew.

After the three of them finished their lunch the went out to the ground and decided to walk along the edge of the lake and talking about how they were going to finish the batch of fireworks that they had started on. It wasn't long before night had fallen and the three of them were forced to go back to the castle for dinner or get in trouble.

The next day, Jade looked at her schedule to see what classes she had for that day and she groaned, "Aw man, Double Potions this afternoon."

Fred and George did a double take and looked at her,

"You got into Snape's N.E.W.T. Potions class?" They sounded astonished, but she merely gave them one of her evil grins.

"I had to, unlike you two I plan on becoming an Auror when I get out of school." They still looked at her with rather hurt looks on their faces, she shook her head, "Don't worry, I intend on working with you guys on the joke shop, while I am in school. Plus I have to go to a special school to learn how to be an Auror, so I can still probably work with you then too." She pulled out her long wand and tapped her book removing an ink stain from the front of it.

XXX

Being kicked off of the Gryffindor Team seemed to be a really good thing at the moment since Angelina was asking for a full day's training session on their Hogsmeade day off.

"Its Valentine's Day, what is Angelina thinking? Holding a full day's training, well as long as the team doesn't mind missing their Hogsmeade visit I suppose it's alright." Said George as they made their way past the Quidditch Pitch on their way down to Hogsmeade.

"Lets not forget that now, you brother and sister are out there training right now, so why don't we hop by Honeydukes and grab them a chocolate bar or something." Jade suggested as they now approached the Hogwarts gate.

"I guess we could do that, it's only fair, after all it is kind of our fault that Ginny had to join the team." Said Fred looking over at George.

"Hey, it would have been your fault too if Jade hadn't held you back." George retorted looking at his twin.

"If you ask me Draco had it coming. Now lets DROP IT!" Jade said swiftly ending the argument.

They were now walking down the street passing a few small shops, soon they were right outside of Honeydukes.

"You two know your siblings best so you go ahead and go inside. Get them something they would like." Jade said turning to go somewhere else.

"Hold on. You're not coming with us?" George suddenly said turning to look at her.

"Nah. I feel like going off and getting a coffee or something hot to drink." Jade replied giving them a reassuring smile.

"Mind if I come with?" Fred asked.

"No. You can come if you wish." She looked at George who smiled and said, "You two go ahead, I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks in an hour."

Fred stopped for a moment to set the timer on his watch, "It will go off in fifty minutes, that way we have ten minutes to get back."

"That sounds good to me. Come on I know a quaint little tea shop. It might have a few people but they serve the best cappuccino around." Jade said leading Fred to the tea shop.

In less than five minutes they were standing in front of a small shop called Madam Puddifoot's. Jade opened the door and instantly they both froze.

"Apparently she decorated it for Valentine's Day." Jade said with a nervous chuckle as she made her way through to an empty table, as she went through the small tea shop she and Fred didn't even see Cho and Harry sitting at a table nearby.

XXX

"Harry look." Cho whispered pointed to her left. Harry turned his head and his eyes opened wide, sitting on the other side of the shop at a small table for two was Fred and Jade. "What do you think they are doing here?" Cho asked looking as surprised as Harry was.

"I don't know but this could end up being pretty interesting." Harry continued to watch Fred and Jade. For now it looked like they were just talking over the table to one another. Minutes ticked by, and as they did Jade and Fred moved closer to one another, it looked like they were conversing in whispers to one another.

Fred put his hand down on the table and Harry saw it gently land on top of Jade's, but neither one of them pulled away in surprise or embarrassment. Jade looked up and her eyes had caught Fred's slowly they began to get closer, and closer over the table. Harry held his breath, it looked like Fred and Jade were about to kiss, they were now mere inches apart and the golden cherubs that was hovering over their table threw pink confetti over them. Both Fred and Jade had shut their eyes and their lips were less than two inches apart, a sudden beeping sound made them open their eyes and pull apart. They both looked away from each other looking rather embarrassed. They paid for their coffee and then rushed out still looking rather flushed.

Harry grinned and turned to Cho who had also been watching what was going on, "Well that was definitely very interesting." Harry said still surprised by what had almost happened between Fred and Jade.

"They must like each other and not realize it, but when they caught each other's eyes they forgot for a moment who each other was." Cho said in a dreamy voice.

XXX

Jade wandered the corridors looking for the twins who had disappeared again. "Oh, where are they?" she asked herself exasperatedly.

A loud crash made her jump, Jade turned around wand at the ready, then she dived out of the way as a pair of Cleansweeps, one trailing a heavy chain and iron peg pelted past her. Jade instantly recognized the brooms, she jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could after them.

Upon entering the entrance hall, she saw Fred and George hovering on their brooms and announcing the location of their new joke shop to the crown. Sensing that the twins were about to take off Jade ran forward yelling.

Fred turned his head just as Jade came forward and tried to grab the chain swinging off of his broom. Fred pulled his broom higher so that the chain was out of reach and he yelled at Jade,

"NO! You stay here. Unlike us you have a much better chance of becoming an Auror. We are not going to let you throw your life away following us. We're sorry." Fred turned to Peeves and then yelled, "Give her hell from us, Peeves."

Right before her eyes the twins took off through the entrance hall doors and into the sunset. Jade knew that the twins were right, and that she would see them again soon but she couldn't help but feel sad that they had left.

"YOU!" Jade turned to see Umbridge pointing one of her fat fingers at her and yelling. "I know that you are in league with those two. This is probably half your fault. FLICH GET HER!"

Filch gave a start and then with a malicious grin started towards Jade. Jade quickly reached into her pocket and she pulled out a small black ball, she threw it onto the ground and the hall filled with a thick black fog. The fog didn't last for more than thirty seconds, but once it cleared Jade was nowhere to be found.


	12. The Fight

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 12

The Fight

It was Hermione who found Jade after her sudden disappearance. Jade was sitting alone in her dormitory, the dormitory was dark, and Hermione could tell that Jade had extinguished everything that was bringing light into the room. Hermione sat on the edge of Jade's bed and asked,

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Jade said in a brittle voice. Hermione could tell that Jade was really upset but she refused to let anyone else let on.

"It's alright to be sad, your best friends just left. You don't have to be strong all the time, if you let your guard fall this one time I won't tell anybody." Hermione walked forward and gave Jade a friendly hug.

Jade retuned the hug and began to sob. "If I tell you something do you swear not to tell anyone not counting Harry and Ron of course?"

"Yes. You can tell me anything after all what are friends for." Hermione said giving Jade a small reassuring smile.

"Fred and I have been friends for over six years now. As time passed I grew more and more fond of him." Jade took in a shuddering breath and then continued in a whisper, "Eventually my fondness grew into love."

She looked at Hermione. Hermione smiled and said softly, "When you are friends for a long time that can happen."

"I guess I never imagined what my life would be like without him, and now he's gone." Jade sighed and then said, "Just yesterday I received a letter asking me if I would like a summer job in the Auror's office. It's nothing big, just a job as a secretary, but it will give me some good experience."

"But I've heard that the secretaries for the Auror's are often wanted more than the Aurors. It's a dangerous job, you must have incredible qualities to get a job like that when you are still in school." Hermione said half in shock and half in awe.

"When Fred and George were here I wasn't sure if I was going to take the job, but I have made up my mind. I am going to take it." Jade said straightening up with pride. "I intend on being an Auror just like my father before me."

"I'm sure Fred and George would be proud of you." Hermione said patting Jade on the shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile.

"I am going to start this summer, they also told me I might get lucky enough to go with an Auror on a slightly dangerous mission." Jade said, "Even then there is a risk, but I am willing to make it."

Jade looked out of the window and after a moment of silence Jade said, "Hermione, I know about the poison that Umbridge slipped into my drink before Fred and George where banned. I know that there is currently no antidote, because I asked Madam Pomfrey and that I am going to die."

XXX

When Mr. Weasley came in Harry noticed that right behind him was Jade. She looked tired and over worked, Harry knew that it was probably due to her new job at the Ministry. While Mr. Weasley helped himself to some onion soup Jade sat down in a chair across from Harry and she put her face in her hands and sighed. Harry looked at Jade's hands and noticed that on the ring finger of her right hand was a golden ring with a large green stone on it, there was also what looked like a golden family crest on the ring, but Jade put her hands under the table before he could get a good look at it.

"Did you have a hard day at work dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked putting a hand on Jade's shoulder.

"Completely." Jade took her hands out of her face and smiled at Mrs. Weasley, but Harry could tell instantly that it was a forced smile. "But still it is worth it, I want to be an Auror and this way I get first hand experience."

"Would you like something to eat?" asked Mrs. Weasley pointing to the pot of onion soup.

"No thank you. I think I am going to go to bed though. Thank you again for letting me stay here." Jade said standing up and heading towards the stairs.

Once Jade was upstairs Mrs. Weasley shook her head and said, "Poor dear, they are working her to hard."

"Molly we've been over this." Mr. Weasley said exasperatedly, "No one, not even Fred and George have talked her into quitting this job. Voicing our opinions isn't going to make her quit anytime soon."

"I know, I know…" Mrs. Weasley said her voice trailing off.

XXX

The next morning during and awkward morning of silence between Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, Harry found himself asking,

"Why isn't Jade staying in Fred and George's room?"

"I think Jade chose to stay in Percy's room because since she Fred and George were such close friends that staying in their room brings back painful memories for her." Ginny said once again taking her position on the end of Harry's bed.

"Yeah, she hasn't seen them since they left, but she does get a letter from Fred once a week telling her how things are going." Ron added.

When Harry, and Ron were about to make their way down the stairs and down to lunch they heard Mrs. Weasley call up to Ron,

"Ron, could you do me a favor and go and tell Jade that lunch will be ready soon."

"Sure Mum!" Ron called back turning around to head up one more flight of stairs to the landing where Percy's room lay.

On the landing Ron knocked softly on Percy's bedroom door and voice from inside quietly called, "Come in."

Ron opened the door and the first thing that he hand Harry saw was Jade. She leaned against the open window, she was cradling a hot cup of, what Harry assumed was cappuccino, between her hands and she was staring out at the garden. The light from the sun caught her black hair and made her skin seem as if it were glowing, but it didn't hide how pale or how thin she had become over the past few months.

"Mum, just wanted us to tell you that lunch will be ready soon." Ron said. Jade turned her face to him and her green eyes fixed on him.

"Thank you Ron. I will be down in a minute." She said giving him a small smile. Ron nodded his head and he and Harry went down to the kitchen to keep Hermione from freaking out about her O.W.L.s.

Just as she promised it was only a few minutes before Jade was down in the kitchen and untying her Hogwarts letter. All she really had was a list of everything that she needed for the upcoming year; she barely glanced at it then handed it over to Mrs. Weasley who was going to hold onto all of their letters until they went to Diagon Alley. Once again Harry saw the ring but he was still unable to see what the golden crest that laid on top of it was.

Harry tried to inch closer so that he could get a better look at the crest but before he could do so Jade put her hand in her pocket hiding the ring from view. He couldn't help but wonder where the ring had come from for she certainly didn't have it last year. After a moment he realized that he was just being stupid, Jade had probably bought the ring and had her family crest placed on it.

XXX

Upon entering Fred and George's joke shop Jade realized that the twins had finally made their dreams come true. The shop was packed and their merchandise was getting even better then it once was. She was reading the back of a box labeled "Patented Daydream Charms" when she heard a familiar voice ask,

"Haven't you girls found our special WonderWitch products yet?" The next thing she knew she felt a firm but gentle grip on her elbow followed by the same voice saying, "Come on, that includes you too."

Jade looked up to see Fred leading her to another part of the store that was brilliantly pink and purple. "I see that you didn't let up on the pink this time around."

"What are you talking about the pink was your idea?" Fred asked looking at her and letting go of her elbow.

"I know, I'm just surprised you went into another store to purchase all of these pink objects." Jade retorted. Fred flushed slightly and then quickly turned to point out their new range of love potions.

Jade gently picked up one of the bottles by its slender neck and brought it closer to her face to examine it. While Fred and George explained how the love potions worked Jade turned the bottle around and examined the back, after a moment she raised one of her eyebrows. Suddenly George snatched the bottle out of her hand and said,

"We aren't selling any to you either for obvious reasons." He gave her an evil look.

"And what do you mean by that?" Jade asked catching the sarcasm in his voice and placing her hands on her hips.

"What we mean is that since the potion works on how good the girl looks, if you used it the potion would never wear off." Fred finished his face also splitting into an evil grin when Jade became flustered.

"Well, I do believe that I brewed that potion for you." Jade said in defense pointing to the little bottle in George's hands.

"We were wondering if you would pick up on that." George said stifling a laugh since Jade was still flustered and red in the face from embarrassment.

"Speaking of love potions we are running kind of low on the stock you made us last week." Fred gave her a kind of begging grin and Jade let out a sigh.

"I don't know how you two do this but you somehow get me every time." Jade straightened up and looked at the twins. "But you two win, I will make you another batch of love potion, but you had better have all of the ingredients ready because I am not using any of mine."

"We have everything all set up in the back." George said taking Jade's arm and leading her towards the back, Jade turned towards Fred and she said to him,

"Fred tell you mother where I am so that she doesn't freak out."

XXX

Things in the compartment with Professor Slughorn were pretty boring until Jade walked in, she was later then all of the others and she had an annoyed look on her face.

"You wanted to see me sir." She said upon entering.

"Yes, come and join us for lunch." He said pointing to an empty space next to Harry.

Reluctantly Jade took the seat next to Harry and Professor Slughorn introduced her.

"This is Jade Williams, daughter of John Williams. Do any of you know who John Williams was?"

Finally Zabini said, "It was said he was one of the greatest Aurors the Ministry ever had."

"Correct. I have also heard from many of the students that she herself has become a powerful witch." Slughorn said giving her a wide, whiskery grin.

Harry could see Jade was biting back insults, he had a feeling that Jade didn't like to be spoken about like a breed of dog. Harry also had a gut feeling that she didn't like mentioning her father, mostly because she still missed him.

"Tell me, what do you remember about your father, Jade?" Slughorn asked after a moment when Jade said nothing. Harry sensed that this was a bad idea but before he could do anything Jade's temper got the better of her,

"I wouldn't remember much. He was murdered before my eyes by Voldermort when I was three." Everyone in the compartment except Harry flinched and Jade stood up and walked out.

Slughorn looked around at everyone, they were all staring at the door wondering what had made Jade act the way she had, but Slughorn just smiled and tried to lighten the mood within the compartment,

"Well now I know what not to mention around her." He chuckled, "She has a temper like a firecracker, oddly enough though that was something her mother had too."

"Jade isn't always like that." Ginny had spoken up, "She is best friends with my brothers Fred and George, though she got to see them over the summer, I have a feeling she never forgave them for leaving last year. Most of the time she is a very sweet girl, but she has been through a lot lately."

"Still, I have a good feeling about her." Slughorn said in a low voice and looking at the door to see if Jade had really gone.

XXX

On Christmas morning Jade came down for breakfast and she smiled at the presents that Mrs. Weasley had received from Fred and George. For some odd reason earlier that day when Jade had woken up she noticed that Fred and George hadn't left her a present like usual. She sat there rather grumpily and when the twins walked in she didn't even look up. A voice next to her ear made her jump,

"Don't think we forgot about you, we just wanted to give you our present in person." Jade turned her head slightly to the right and she came face to face with Fred.

She felt something cold touch her neck and looking down she saw a beautiful heart shaped golden locket with the words 'To my best friend' engraved on the front. Jade gasped just as George came forward holding a box that was still wrapped. Jade opened it, inside was an ornate wooden box with intricate carvings upon it.

"Open it." George insisted.

Jade opened the box and the first thing everyone noticed was the slow pretty music. It was a music box and inside instead of the dancing ballerina that most music boxes was a golden replica of the dancing couple on she and Fred's trophy from the Yule Ball.

"T-Thank you." Jade managed to stutter as the twins took her in a huge three-person hug. Then for the first time in months Harry, Ron, and Hermione saw Jade's face break into a true smile.

That night at dinner things had a considerably lighter mood. Just before dinner, Jade, and Fred and once again wrestled another garden gnome, but this time the gnome had bitten Jade's hand when she tried to pull up one more carrot for Mrs. Weasley.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had witnessed the capture of this gnome, Jade was crouching on a patch of earth in the garden, Fred was next to her and showing her how to pull up the carrots without hurting herself. Just as Jade grabbed onto one of the carrot leaves a gnome came out of nowhere and bit her hand. Harry had a feeling it was attracted to the ring she wore since it bit her right hand. Jade pulled her hand away with a yell and Fred tackled the little creature.

Jade and Fred didn't use this gnome as an ornament for the tree, instead they showed the gnome what they did to the other one and then let it go. For fear of getting painted gold and stuffed in a tutu the gnome ran and disappeared in less than a few seconds.

After the incidental dinner an owl arrived landing on the just cleaned table. The handsome tawny looked at Jade and stuck out his leg. Jade took the letter and the owl left and went on his way. Jade opened the letter and began to read it after a moment she dropped the letter on the table and sank to the floor. Then she placed her face in her hands and Harry heard the distinct sound of sobbing. Fred snatched the letter and he began to read it out loud,

'_Dear Miss Williams,_

Just last week we a young man who was mixing antidotes made a mixture that has been proven to heal many poisons, all of them deadly and slow acting. The antidote was tested on many other poisons and it has also proven to heal those as well. Miss Williams we have…'

Fred trailed off and he took a shuddering breath and then continued his voice shaky,

'We have found a cure for the poison that was issued to you during that fateful Quidditch match.'

Silence followed only broken by Jade's sobs. Fred got down on one knee, put his right hand under Jade's chin and lifted her head to look her in the eyes.

"I never thought that they would find an antidote." She whispered.

"All that matters is that you are going to be fine." Fred said softly. Jade smiled at him and he took her in a big hug. Fred helped Jade to her feet and said, "Come on you've just had a major shock you should go lie down for a while."

XXX

Over the next few days Jade was more full of life than she had ever been. When she and Fred had tried to release the little golden gnome he promptly bit them both on the ankle and then scurried off out of sight. Instead of getting angry at the gnome both Fred and Jade started laughing about it as they wondered what the other gnomes would do once they saw him.

The day before they had to go back to school Jade and Fred were outside the gate. George had already disapperated and Fred was going to join him at the shop in a few minutes. When he and Jade hugged each other to say goodbye Jade had a piece of folded parchment in her hands. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley saw her open the parchment and read it. Jade face went from happy to angry. Though they couldn't hear what they were saying from the window they could tell that Jade and Fred had begun a heated argument.

Ron followed by Harry, Hermione and reluctantly Mrs. Weasley made their way to the door and opened it,

"How dare you lie to me!" Jade had shouted

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Fred shouted back, they were both red in the face.

"Then how do you explain this!" Jade brandished the letter

"I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THAT IS!" The argument was becoming more intense.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! I THOUGHT I KNEW YOU, BUT NOW I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" A moment of charged silence followed, but then Fred walked out past the gate, turned on his heel and disappeared.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley could see that there were tears on Jade's face. After another charged moment Jade hit her knees and she began to sob her long black hair falling into her face. Immediately Hermione pushed past Harry and Ron and ran to Jade, she put a reassuring arm around Jade. Jade looked at Hermione, they hugged each other as Jade sobbed into Hermione's shoulder. Mrs. Weasley looked confused, but Harry and Ron knew why Jade was so upset and just like they promised they weren't going to say anything about Jade's heat being broken by her best friend.


	13. Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 13

Revelations

Jade burst into the boys bathroom upon seeing Malfoy lying on the floor bleeding she said, "Draco! NO!" she ran forward and picked Malfoy up and getting soaked in his blood.

Just then the door burst open and in came Snape. He saw Jade and said, "Williams, explain!" he went to Malfoy and began to heal him with his wand.

"I-I don't know. I heard a crash and I came to investigate."

"Go back to your common room, while I take Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing, Potter you stay here."

Jade looked thoroughly shocked but she said nothing and walked out of the bathroom covered in blood and water. When Harry had made it back to the Common Room he saw Jade sitting in an armchair by the fire, she was still covered in Malfoy's blood and staring blankly into the fire.

Harry walked up and stood next to Jade's chair, Ron and Hermione behind him. "Jade why did you freak out when you saw Malfoy like that?" Harry found himself saying without thinking.

"I'll tell you Harry, but you can't get mad at me." Jade said in a soft voice and the Common Room went quiet, because they all wanted to know why she was covered in blood. Harry looked at them to tell them to back of but Jade said, "No, it's ok, they can hear it if they want to."

Jade took a deep breath and Harry crouched down next to her, "Tell me why did you act like that?"

Jade held up her right hand letting Harry see the ring on her ring finger and finally letting him see the crest that was laid upon the green gemstone. Harry saw the crest and it took a moment for him to recognize the crest, then it sunk in,

"Why do you have a ring with the Black family crest on it?"

"It was my mother's. My mother was Narcissa Malfoy's younger sister." Harry looked at her; he now looked thoroughly shocked and Jade continued, "I acted that way because Draco Malfoy is my cousin."

"But you weren't on the Black Family Tree Tapestry in Sirius's house." Ron said

"Oh, I'm there. Remember when I tripped and landed on the tapestry before you guys looked at it. Sirius knew that I too was ashamed of my background, so before you had spotted it he handed me a piece of cloth that was the same as the tapestry. I purposely 'tripped' and fell on the tapestry covering my mother's, my father's, and my name with the cloth."

"So you hid your family background out of fear, you did it because you didn't want to loose your friends." Hermione said

"Yes. My mother didn't die one month before I started school, she died giving birth to me. The Malfoy's decided that they wouldn't let another family member live in an orphanage. So I lived with Rachel most of my life." She took a deep breath and continued, "Other than that they were never really a part of my life. When I started my first year we were short on money and we were going to buy most of our stuff second hand. We saw them at Diagon Alley and they refused to let another pureblood family have second hand things, so they bought us everything that year. I will never forget them for that but if I had told you before I might have lost all my friends. Now, I just don't care anymore."

XXX

Jade was lying on the ground listening to the commotion going on around her, she wasn't sure what was really going on but there were curses flying everywhere, and many people were yelling. She felt the robe of a Death Eater pass her, and out of instinct she grabbed it pulling down the Death Eater. There was an "Oof." From the Death Eater and then he turned around to face her and snarl. Jade's heart stopped as she realized the Death Eater she had pulled down was Fenrir Greyback.

The next thing that she knew she saw Greyback's yellowed-claw like finger's reaching for her face. She knocked his hand out of the way and then rolled before he could attempt to bite her. Greyback lunged at her again and Jade took off down the hall to lure him away from the others, because she knew he had already attacked Bill. Ahead she could hear people shouting but her mind wasn't registering any of it, she just ran, listening to the angered Greyback following her.

Jade wasn't entirely sure where she was going, but soon she found herself in the Entrance Hall, and surrounded by people, Greyback facing her. She held her wand tightly at her side, but she didn't dare raise it and fire a curse lest it hit one of the other students, all she could hope to do was keep him busy until a teacher arrived.

"My, my, so pretty. It would be a shame to attack your pretty little neck, but hey you deserve it." Greyback growled lunging at her clawed hand outstretched. Jade took a step back and to her right in an attempt to dodge the blow, but it didn't entirely work. She felt Greyback's right claws connect with the skin on her left shoulder, and she brought her left arm up just in time to keep the claws from slashing her face. A searing pain suddenly followed and Jade back up raising her right wand in time to mutter,

"Sectumsempra!" Gashes appeared on Greyback's face and on his chest. He yelled falling backwards and clutching at the wounds.

Jade fell to her knees and lowered her wand just as Professor Slughorn entered the Great Hall. Slughorn took one look at Greyback, stunned him, healed his wounds, and then turned to Jade.

"Miss Williams are you alright?" He asked as Jade clutched at the gashes on her upper arm and her forearm. All Jade could do was nod her head, Slughorn waved his wand and bandages appeared out of nowhere and twisted themselves around her wounds. "Can you walk?"

Once again Jade nodded her head and she stood up rather shakily. Slughorn looked around at the group of students around him.

"Miss Chang, help Miss Williams please." Slughorn said gesturing Cho to come over. Cho walked over and put an arm around Jade's waist helping her walk to the hospital wing.

XXX

Jade sat on her bed across from Bill her right hand resting on her bandaged forearm. The wounds wouldn't heal, and they were causing her a great deal of pain, but she made no sign that she was in pain, she sat and listened while the others spoke.

"What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave! And I shall do zat!" Jade stared as Fleur snatched the ointment and started dabbing at Bill wounds.

Jade fixed her eyes upon her bed sheets, she missed Fred dearly, he refused to write to her and George never mentioned him in any of his letters. Her thumb was gently stroking the bandages and she didn't really hear anything unit Tonks said,

"You see! She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten! She doesn't care." Jade lifted her head now very interested, her cousin had never acted like this before.

"It's different, Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are not completely – "

"But I don't care either, I don't care! I've told you a million times…" Lupin cut her off.

"And I've told _you_ a million times, that I am too old for you, too poor…too dangerous…" Jade gave an inaudible gasp; she hadn't expected this at all. She disappeared into thought for a moment, and when she returned she heard Lupin talking once more.

"I am not being ridiculous, Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you," Mr. Weasley said. Jade heard no more, she felt her eyes burning and then she felt hot, salty tears running down her face. She began to sob silently, but luckily no one had noticed because Professor McGonagall had walked in with Hagrid.

Jade didn't feel like listening to anything else, it was hard enough to find out that Professor Dumbledore was dead so she laid back, pulled the covers up over her head and tried her best to fall asleep.

XXX

Two days before Dumbledore's funeral the doors to the Great Hall burst open. Everyone turned to see Narcissa Malfoy standing in the doorway. She took a look around and said to the silent hall,

"I'm here to collect my niece." Everyone at the Gryffinor table looked at Jade while everyone else looked around in confusion. Narcissa strolled across the hall and down along the table until she came to Jade. She took Jade by the wrist and said, "Come, I'm pulling you out and while we are at it we can find you a better place to stay. I don't want you living under the same roof as the Weasley scum."

At this point she and Jade were already in front of the staff table, the house tables and halfway across the hall. Jade's face grew stern; she planted her feet on the ground and wrenched her wrist out of her aunt's grip with a loud, "NO!"

Narcissa stopped and looked at her niece, "What did you say?" she hissed.

"I said no. I refuse to go with you." Jade said fixing her aunt with a cold stare.

"I am your aunt! You will listen to me." Narcissa said not noticing that the Great Hall had gone silent and was now listening. "Come."

"I came of age over one year ago. You have no control over me any more. I'm staying whether you like it or not." Jade said returning the cold stare that her aunt just gave her.

"I'm surprised you are going to stay with the Weasley's after the fight you and one of the twins had." Narcissa said evilly. Jade's face was suddenly filled with curiosity and fury.

"How do you know about that?" Jade was shaking.

"You are foolish child. I had Draco write that. You deserve better friends than the Weasley family." Narcissa hissed.

"You had Draco ruin my life because you didn't like my friends!" Jade was shouting now and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Why do you care so much about that, Fred, boy? TELL ME!" Narcissa demanded loudly, she got her answer almost instantly.

"I LOVED HIM!" Jade yelled at her aunt, she dropped her voice back to normal and tears were flowing from her eyes. "I loved him and you son ruined that. I'll tell you now, if Draco ever crosses my path again, cousin or not, I will kill him."

Narcissa looked as if she had the wind knocked out of her and Jade walked swiftly past and into the Entrance Hall followed by Professor McGonagall. After a moment Narcissa turned on her heel and stormed out of the hall and out of the castle. Hermione turned to Ron,

"You have to tell Fred about this. Don't tell him that Jade loved him; we don't want to ruin their friendship, just tell him that Draco was the reason that they had that horrible fight."

"How do we know Percy wont get to him first." Ron said nodding his head towards the staff table.

"It's Percy, once Fred sees who it's from he will probably just chuck the letter in the fire without reading it." Hermione said.

"She's right Ron, remember what he, George, and Ginny did to him at Christmas." Harry added.

"All right we will tell Fred, but Hermione's writing the letter. I don't want to screw up and accidentally let him know what Jade said." Ron said with a sigh.

XXX

Jade wiped the tears from her eyes. Sitting in the chairs in front of her was Harry and Ginny. She heard Harry tell Ginny that he couldn't be with her because it was too dangerous and a thought struck Jade.

'_I can't be with Fred either. It wont take Voldermort long to realize that I am alive. I love him, but I can't take the risk.'_ Jade wiped a stray tear off of her cheek and slowly she made her way towards the white tomb that encased Dumbledore.

Jade ran one of her fingers long the tomb, sighed, wiped the tears from her eyes and made her way towards the edge of the lake. She stood on the shore and overlooked the vast lake when she heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't turn to see who it was.

"Jade?" said a male voice.

"Hello Fred." Jade said softly not taking her eyes off the lake's horizon.

"So you knew it was me? How do you know I'm not George?"

"I'm the only one who can tell you two apart. So naturally I can also tell you apart by not even looking at you and just by hearing your voice." Jade simply said in the same soft voice.

"Jade I know now that it was Malfoy who tore us apart. I'm sorry I got angry at you." He said taking a few steps closer.

"I'm sorry too."

"Now that you have graduated from Hogwarts with the highest honors ever given to a student, what do you say you come and help me and George out with the joke shop for a while." Fred said slowly.

A light breeze lifted Jade's hair, and yet she still did not turn to look at Fred. She could feel her heart pumping furiously, and yelling at her not to do this, but she took a shuddering breath and said,

"No."

"What? Why not?" Fred asked in astonishment.

"Because its better if we don't see each other, ever again." Jade felt her eyes burn, but she refused to cry, instead she turned and she walked away. Jade walked until she was outside the Hogwarts gate, Fred had made no motion to stop her. She stopped outside the gate, and then disapperated, but before he had vanished, she had heard Fred yell,

"Wait!"


	14. True Feelings

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Fourteen

True Feelings

Jade sat in her cubicle next to Tonks' cubicle, she was scribbling away at a paper she had been asked to finish. Though it took most Auror's years to complete their training it had taken Jade just a matter of months. Her trainers were surprised at how well and how quickly she learned, but they didn't know it was her determination that got her though so fast. Her quill whipped across the page as she easily finished the report, she dropped her quill and her eyes fell on a pile of unopened letters on her desk. The letters were from Fred, Tonks often called her stubborn because no matter how hard she tried, she could never convince Jade to open them.

Jade leaned back in her chair, which squeaked in protest and placed her face in her hands. Tonks stood up and looked over the wall that divided their cubicles, she folded her arms on top, and then rested her head upon them. Today her hair was long and purple; she blinked and smiled a little.

"Jade when are you going to open those?" she asked again. Jade moved her hands and looked at her cousin with an annoyed sort of face.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not." She dropped her hands by her side and stared up at the ceiling.

"Why are you being so foolish? We both know you love him." She looked down at Jade with a kind look on her face. Jade looked back at her.

"That's just it. I have no doubt that Snape told Voldemort that his 'heir' has survived. I'm sure Voldemort is searching for me as we speak. If I allow myself to love Fred, he will be the first one Voldemort will go after." Jade explained, she hadn't expected Tonks to ask that question but she answered it nonetheless.

Tonks gave her a sympathetic look and then she sighed, "You are foolish."

A memo paper landed on Jade's pile of unopened letters, she grabbed it, and opened it reading the message. With a sigh, she pulled the chopstick holding her hair up out and her curtain of long black hair fell down. Jade ran her fingers through her hair for a moment, and then she took a hair tie and tied her hair into a low ponytail.

"They sending you somewhere?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Afraid so. There's been a disturbance in Diagon Alley and they want me to check it out before they can clear it up." Jade said snatching up her wand from her desk and walking out of the office.

Tonks watched the doorway for a moment, then she looked to her right and said to thin air, "There, you happy now?"

Fred Weasley appeared out of nowhere, and he looked at Tonks, his eyes quizzical.

"I suppose so." He murmured. "I can't believe that was why she didn't want to see or speak to each other anymore."

"That just shows she cares." Grunted Moody who had walked up his every other step clunking. "I was wondering what you were doing here Weasley. I suppose you were the one to bring him in?" He looked at Tonks who grinned at him.

"Well I owe the kid a lot, well I owe his dad a lot anyways."

"What do you mean?" Fred asked folding up the invisibility cloak he was holding and placing it on Tonks's desk.

"A couple of months back when Bill got attacked, you father helped the man I love allow himself to love me, even though he thought he was dangerous." Tonks said blushing slightly and taking a seat in her chair.

"You mean Lupin." Fred said.

"How did you know?" Tonks asked in utter surprise.

"I saw you two holding hands at Dumbledore's funeral."

"Yes well. I told Lupin that I didn't care if he was dangerous, or if he put me into danger because I loved him." She grinned and then held up her left hand. "And to be honest I'm glad I spoke up and that your father told him not to be so foolish."

Fred grinned as his eye caught the diamond ring on her left ring finger. "When are you going to have the marriage?"

"We haven't decided yet." She stretched and then leaned back in her chair. "Anyways you had better leave before Jade returns or the head of the office catches you here."

"I suppose you are right." Fred smiled at Tonks then headed for the door. "Thanks, Tonks."

Tonks watched as Fred left then she looked up at Moody whose magical eye was still on the door Fred had just disappeared through while his normal eye was fixed on her.

"Do ya, think I did the right thing?"

"We will have to see." Moody said.

XXX

Days later Jade was lying with her arms on her desk and she was half asleep. She had been working so hard for the past few days that she hadn't been able to sleep and she had completely forgotten it was her nineteenth birthday today. Jade sat up and shook her head, she would wait until later to go home and get some sleep, right now she needed to be alert in case something happened and she was needed.

Jade pulled a book off of one of her shelves, she opened it and she started to read. Soon she became so immersed in the book she didn't even realize that almost all of her fellow Aurors had gathered behind her, Tonks holding a birthday cake. Tonks' hair was long, curly, and green in color.

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone shouted suddenly. Jade jumped and then clutched at her upper left arm. The wounds from Greyback were almost fully healed, but they still caused her a great deal of pain.

"Sorry." Tonks muttered hurriedly. "I forgot that those wounds still caused you pain."

"Nah, it's alright, trust me it could have hurt worse." She smiled at the Aurors around her. "I can't believe I didn't hear you sneak up on me. Especially you."

Tonks grinned at her. "For once my clumsiness didn't get the better of me."

Jade grinned back at her cousin who placed the birthday cake on her desk, while the rest of the Aurors smiled around her. She leaned back her chair and it squeaked in protest, Jade's right eye twitched and then she said,

"That's it, I'm fixing this now." She pulled her wand out from under a pile of papers on her desk, leaned over and tapped the bottom of the chair, then Jade leaned back in the chair once more, and this time the chair was silent.

"Was it annoying you that much?" Moody asked.

"Unfortunately so." Jade replied looking over at her cousin who was once again looking at the small pile of unopened letters.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Tonks asked softly turning her head so that her long green curls bounced and so that she gave Jade a gently stare.

Jade blinked slowly and averted her gaze so that she stared at an old tattered picture of her parents on her desk. She shut her eyes for a moment, sighed and then opened them once more.

"I've already told you, I can't risk putting him in danger because Voldemort is hunting me. It's just luck that he hasn't found me already." She shook her head and stood up to face everyone. "No matter how hard I tray I just can't allow him to be in danger because of me."

"And what if I don't care?" The group of Aurors separated into two separate groups forming a walkway that led right to Fred.

"Fred I can't do it. I don't want to loose you." Jade said her eyes starting to burn with the effort of trying not to cry.

Fred started to slowly walk closer to her and as he did he spoke softly, but even through the softness you could hear the love in his voice.

"Jade, I'm standing here, I have everything to loose. All I can say for sure is that I never want to see the end. Please I'm reaching out to you, just open up your heart and let me back in." Fred stood in front of her gently he lifted his left hand and brushed some of Jade's hair out of her face with the very tips of his fingers.

Softly tears started to roll down Jade's cheeks, she didn't know what to say, but instead she looked up and caught his eyes. Jade stared unable to take her eyes away from Fred's loving ones and she whispered,

"Is there anyway I can get you to forgive me?"

"There is one way." Fred whispered back.

"What?"

"Just answer this question." Fred took a step back his right hand went into his right pocked and he pulled something out that Jade could not see for he had it hidden in his hand. Then Fred got down on one knee and showed her a ring box, he opened it showing a three stone, princess cut diamond ring sitting in it's cushion and he asked, "Will you marry me?"

Jade gasped and her hands flew to her mouth, she was lost for words, but she managed to nod her head tears streaming down her face.

"Yes!" Fred took the ring out of the box and gently placed it on her ring finger on her left hand, then he stood up once again he and Jade caught each other's eyes and just like the time they were in Madame Puddifoots they drew closer, but this time their lips gently touched, and there was a cheer from everyone around them.


	15. Author's Note

Author's Note:

I am so glad that so many of you enjoyed my Harry Potter, fanfic, but now I am wondering if I should continue it. If you want me to continue it please send me a review, or email me, if I get enough I promise that I will add more. Thank you.

jadesshadow


	16. The Final Battle

WARNING: Contains spoilers, do not read unless you have read the last book (Or if you simply don't care, then read on!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter Fifteen

The Final Battle

Jade swung her wand across the Death Eater knocking him over with a silent curse. Everywhere people were screaming in fear or for their friends and loved ones. Jade spun around to check her back for another Death Eater, but found none coming her way. It was in this moment that she noticed Fred was not anywhere near her, knowing better than to panic she looked for the nearest redhead she saw.

"Charlie!" She yelled when she saw the youth knock a Death Eater off him. Charlie turned to her, "Where's Fred?"

"I think he's upstairs with Perce dueling someone."

Heart pounding Jade began to rush upstairs when the floor above her shook violently. Jade panicked and ran up the stairs yelling,

"Fred! Where are you Fred –"

Jade stopped, her blood turned to ice. Fred was lying still in Percy's arms, not moving.

"FRED NO!" She yelled running up to him and taking him in her arms. "No Fred please stay with me! Please, you can't leave!"

Fred's lips moved slightly and Jade leaned forward to hear what he said,

"I love you Jade."

"I love you too Fred."

Fred's eyes glazed over and he went limp in her arms. Jade was overwhelmed by emotion.

"Please Fred, you can't leave me, please!" Jade broke down into sobs clutching Fred's body, Percy doing his best to comfort her.

After she had regained her senses she helped Percy and Harry hide Fred's body, she gave him one last kiss and with tears streaming down her cheeks she turned to Percy and Harry.

"Who did this?" She asked.

"I dunno." Harry said.

"I think it was that Death Eater Riddik who caused the explosion." Percy said wiping the tears from his eyes.

Jade's tear filled eyes turned hard.

"Jonathan Riddik?"

Percy nodded and Jade's flashed with a sudden fury that made Percy back up. She clutched her wand tightly in her right hand and turned towards the stairs that lead to the Great Hall where most of the fighting was taking place.

"First that bastard kills my father, and now he had taken the only man I have ever loved away from me. He will pay." Jade said before sprinting down the stairs to hunt for the man who had caused all her suffering.

XXX

The moment Percy and Charlie brought down Fred body to place it with the others who had lost their lives Jade sank to the ground and started sobbing uncontrollably. Not only had she been unable to find Riddik, but now she had to finally accept that Fred was gone. Charlie held her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her, but she was completely devastated. Never before had she felt so alone, in such a crowded room.

XXX

"My Lord!" Riddik called when Voldermort fell to his own spell. Silence fell and everyone looked at him. "You will all pay!"

"NO!" Yelled a voice above the crowd.

The crowd parted and Jade walked forward holding her wand tightly in her right hand. Her face was set and she raised her wand in a dueling position.

"Recognize me?" She asked

"The traitor heir to the Dark Lord." Riddik sneered, "Well, now I had the chance to finish off not only your father but the one you loved, now it's your turn."

"I will not allow you to kill anyone else." Jade said, "This fight is between you and me, let's settle this."

People near them backed up and left them plenty of space to duel. Jade was the first to fire a curse but it was blocked easily by a wave of Riddik's wand. The crowd watched anxiously, though Jade was an Auror she had fought a lot this night alone, she was covered in wounds that still bled and her had shook from fatigue. Still she fired curses and spells relentlessly and blocked those that were thrown at her.

"Aw poor little traitor, injured are you?" Riddik said leering, "Good thing because I want to kill you myself."

He waved his wand and a long, deadly looking dagger appeared being held in the air by his wand, and waiting for the moment he chose to throw it. Jade backed up her wand held ready, she was now a mere foot from the wall with nowhere to go. Riddik made a motion like he was going to throw his wand at her and the dagger flew towards Jade. The moment the motion was made Jade brought her wand up across his chest and yelled,

"Sectum Sempra!" The man screamed as his torso and face were ripped open, but the curse had not come without sacrifice.

Jade stumbled backward breathing heavily, the dagger in her chest at the precise spot where her heart was. Those standing next to her could see that it had gone through her heart and the tip of the dagger protruded from her back. Jade stumbled backwards into the wall and for a moment stood there, then her eyes went dull and slowly she slid to the ground. Her eyes closed and the hall was so silent that everyone heard her whisper,

"I love you Fred…"


End file.
